Singer Muralidhar dies during train journey

Film playback singer Korivi Muralidhar( 50), popularly known as ‘Khushi’ Muralidhar, died of a heart attack on board the port city-bound Circar Express train in the early hours of Friday.

He was in the troupe of film music director Koti that was coming from Chennai to perform in the inaugural session of the three-day Kakinada Beach Festival. As the train crossed the Kovvur station, Muralidhar’s daughter Haripriya tried to wake up her father. When he did not respond, the girl alerted other members of the troupe.

As the train reached the Kakinada Town station, Muralidhar was rushed to the Government General Hospital, where the doctors declared him brought dead.

A native of Renigunta in Chittoor district, Muralidhar had a passion for music from his childhood and left for Chennai after finishing his academics.

He got a break with Pawan Kalyan starrer ‘Khushi’ , in which he sang the song “Aaduvari matalaku ardhale verule...” a remix of A.M. Raja’s number for the classic ‘Missamma’ movie. Since then, he had many hit numbers to his credit and the popular “Kevvu keka” from Pawan Kalyan’s ‘Gabbar Singh’ was the recent one. Muralidhar had also taken part in many television shows and stage performances.

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Workers carryingout repairs to Visakhapatnam District Collector's Office, as it was damaged in Cyclone Hudhud in 2014 October. The majestic heritage building was designed and built by Dutch engineering company Gannon Dunkerly in 1865 and completed by 1914. Photos: C.V. Subrahmanyam